[2] The Antarctic sea urchin ranges in color from bright red to dull purple and can grow to 5 centimetres (2.0 in) in diameter.

[7] Metabolic processes tend to slow down as the temperature decreases and the Antarctic sea urchin lives in an extremely cold environment.

[4] Mature urchins were collected from under the sea ice and moved to a research laboratory at McMurdo Sound where they were induced to spawn.

The mechanism for this energy efficiency was unclear but it was surmised that if it could be transferred through genetic manipulation to other organisms such as clams, oysters or fish, it could transform aquaculture.

It was found that a lowering of the pH from the normal level of 8.0 to 7.0 had little effect on reproduction in the worm, apart from a slight increase in the number of abnormal later-stage embryos.